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Be Our Guest restaurant – Video of Inside the Ballroom

The Beauty and the Beast themed Be Our Guest restaurant promises to add a whole new dimension of immersive story telling as guests get the chance to be right in the memorable ballroom scene where Belle and the Beast danced together from the classic Disney animated film. Here’s a sneak peek inside the Be Our Guest ballroom with a look at the Chandeliers that will occupy much of the overhead space in the room.

The three chandeliers hang in the main dining room, the largest measuring twelve feet in length and eleven feet across with 80 lights and 100 large crystals. The two smaller chandeliers on each side measure 9.5 feet in length and eight feet across with 50 lights each. The trio of chandeliers are inspired by ones seen in the dining room in Beast’s Castle.

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Animation Magic comes to Animator’s Palate aboard the Disney Fantasy

The Animation Magic show in Animators Palate aboard the Disney Fantasy is a brand new addition to the Disney Cruise Line fleet. Guests draw their own characters only to have them appear later animated up on screen interacting with other characters. This lets each family member participate in the magic in a whole new way.

Here are the three characters created by the Frost family (mine is in the middle). The moment my character came to life, I felt not only whole new appreciation for animation, but a sense of “hey I can do that too”, even though I really can’t draw a straight line with a ruler.

Each section of Animator’s Palate has their own characters showing on the screens near them. Here is the show we saw from our table. If you’re planning on sailing on the Disney Fantasy soon, you might want to skip this so your joy isn’t dulled.

Pretty cool huh!

More on the technology behind “Animation Magic” below the jump:

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Disney Dedicates Katsura Grill in EPCOT’s Japan Pavilion

Katsura Grill is the name of the remodeled Yakitori House. The quick service location inside the Japan Pavilion in EPCOT has been open for a few weeks, but was officially dedicated on the 17th. The grounds outside feature gardens modeled after the historic Katsura Imperial Villa near Kyoto, Japan. While the inside features a new modern look and seating for a variety of party sizes.

The ceremony was attended by Erin Youngs, vice president of Epcot; and Hideaki Morooka, general manager International Business Operations for Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd., partners with Disney in the Japan Pavilion. (Pictured at above.)

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Review: Thanksgiving at Aulani’s Makahiki Buffet

I was fortunate to spend Thanksgiving day this year at Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa on Oahu with family and friends. Though we were staying on the other side of the island, we couldn’t resist the chance to make the drive to Ko Olina to check out Disney’s newest resort and enjoy a Hawaiian Thanksgiving sprinkled with Disney magic. First impression of Aulani: spectacular! The food, well, that’s another story…

Aulani offered a special Thanksgiving event with entertainment and character appearances ($85 per adult and $73 per child – ouch!). Our party, a mix of adults and kids, opted instead for the buffet dinner at Makahiki, which at $40 for adults and $20 per child is reasonably priced as Hawai’i resort dining goes, and we figured it would offer something to suit everyone’s taste.

I had high hopes for the Makahiki buffet, a spacious area with subtle and soothing tropical decor that opens to a sunny patio. But truth be told, the food was predictable, not much was memorable or worth seconds, (but luckily there was plenty to try!).

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Make it a Downtown Disney Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking turkey. I know I’ve been thinking about dining out this year instead of preparing a meal at home. I’m just too tired to cook after the craziness of this year. So it’s a good… Read More »Make it a Downtown Disney Thanksgiving